Fight crime instead of spying on Malaysians, PKR tells cops

PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in a file photo.

PETALING JAYA, July 3 — PKR today demanded the government redirect the police Special Branch towards fighting crime instead of spying on the public, citing parliamentary papers which showed that in 2010, the unit had used its manpower to produce reports on the activities of more than 700,000 Malaysians.

Party president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail pointed to the alarming rise in crime occurring across the Klang Valley recently, warning that criminals now appear more desperate and daring than before.

To tackle the issue, she said, the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) must get its policing activities in order.

"We ask the government to stop spying on its citizens and instead direct the Special Branch to focus on apprehending criminals," Dr Wan Azizah suggested at a press conference here.

During the press conference copies from Budget 2012 were released to the media, showing that in 2010, the Special Branch had produced 382,000 reports on the political activities of Malaysian citizens and conducted 351,000 security clearance checks.

"All in, the police's Special Branch produced 733,000 reports on its citizens, spying on roughly 4.3 per cent of the adult population of Malaysia," Wan Azizah said.

In contrast, the Royal Malaysian Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had opened 211,645 investigation files in the same year, she pointed out.

"We therefore challenge the government to redirect 90 per cent of the Special Branch activities towards fighting crime.

"If the government cannot commit to this, then the rakyat must, for the sake of a safer Malaysia, end Barisan Nasional's (BN) rule in the coming election," she said.

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